Transcript Highlights:

• Just a few months ago in May, tourism economics downgraded our forecast for 2025.
• It's the only time since the pandemic that we've forecasted a year-over-year decline in visitation.
• Through the first half of this year, we've outperformed that forecast, although international... ...arrivals
• We had forecasted flat performance for San Diego tourism.
• We pushed that back from previous forecasts. We thought 2026 would be our year.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This need has been made evident in recent forecasting by the California Independent System Operator,
• This need has been made evident in recent forecasting by the California Independent System Operator,
• This need has been made evident in recent forecasting by the California Independent System Operator,
• this would, for instance, include substations that have been identified as necessary based on the forecasted
• Forecasts indicate that by including the state's 21 large-scale hydroelectric facilities capable of producing

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard several bills focused on grid reliability, affordability, clean energy infrastructure, and industrial decarbonization. AB 222, by Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan, would require more data reporting on data centers and aim to prevent ratepayers from bearing related grid costs; supporters said better information is needed to plan for rapidly growing electricity demand from AI and data centers, while opponents warned about privacy, security, trade-secret, and cost-shifting concerns. The bill passed the committee on a 13-4 vote, with the roll left open for absent members. AB 941, by Assemblymember Bonta, would impose a 270-day timeline for CPUC review of priority transmission projects to speed clean-energy infrastructure buildout. Supporters argued that transmission delays are slowing California’s climate goals and raising costs, while opponents raised concerns about CEQA process, staffing, and prioritization. The bill passed 15-0. AB 1191, by Assemblymember Tangipa, would make existing large hydroelectric facilities eligible for the Renewable Portfolio Standard; supporters framed it as a way to lower rates and ease affordability pressures, while opponents said it would undermine the purpose of the RPS by substituting existing resources for new renewable development. That bill failed on a 4-11 vote. AB 1280, by Assemblymember Garcia, would expand state grant programs to support thermal energy storage projects for industrial decarbonization. Supporters said it would help modernize manufacturing, cut pollution in disadvantaged communities, and preserve jobs, with broad support from environmental and clean manufacturing groups and no opposition testimony. The bill passed 17-0. AB 1117, by Assemblymember Schultz, would require the CPUC to offer optional dynamic electricity rate tariffs for customers to shift usage away from peak periods; supporters said it could lower bills and improve grid efficiency, while utilities said they were not opposed to the concept but wanted more flexibility and time in the regulatory process. That bill passed 14-0. The committee also approved its consent calendar and other noncontroversial items, with several measures moving forward unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• in future forecast.
• for the biennium beyond the forecast for the biennium beyond the forecast horizon<00:19:04.160><
• November budget forecast. November budget forecast.
• federal state funded in forecast federal state funded in forecast programs,<00:27:00.320> reductions
• different for non-forecast That's different for non-forecast programs<00:27:06.880> where<00:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• First reading Senate File number 4282, an act relating to forecast adjustments.
• an act reading Senate file number 4282, an act relating<00:11:04.640> to<00:11:04.800> forecast
• <00:11:06.720> The relating to forecast adjustments.
• The relating to forecast adjustments.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer by Deacon Bruce Richards of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Waconia, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a roll call establishing a quorum. The journal from the previous day was approved, and reports from standing committees and divisions were adopted without objection. The chamber then moved through second readings of several House Files, introduced House Files 5051 through 5066, and received multiple Senate Files for first reading. Several Senate Files were referred to committees or paired with House Files for comparison, including SF 1943 (commerce), SF 2691 (housing), SF 4282 (forecast adjustments), and SF 4760 (public safety). The House also received a Rules and Legislative Administration report designating a number of bills for the April 23 calendar and requiring pre-filing of amendments for those measures. The Speaker announced a Senate message seeking House concurrence on amendments related to HF 3437. During announcements, Representative Hansen noted Arbor Day tree distribution plans and invited members to help prepare trees the next day. Representative Lilly offered birthday wishes to Representative O'Driscoll. Representative Niska announced a safety drill after adjournment and moved to adjourn the House until 1:00 p.m. Thursday, April 23, 2026; both the adjournment-time motion and the motion to adjourn prevailed.

Transcript Highlights:

• SCHEDULING, LIKE INVENTORY, AS AN EXAMPLE DO YOU FEEL NOT JUST YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH BUT ALSO YOU FORECAST
• THE FIRST THING I WILL SAY IS THAT IT IS VERY HARD TO MAKE ANY CONCRETE FORECAST.
• BUT I THINK THAT THE GENERAL MODEL MAKE ANY CONCRETE FORECAST.
• I THINK THAT WE CAN FORECAST WITH SOME CONFIDENCE THAT THE SAME KIND OF RULE WOULD APPLY TO TASKS AND
• TYPING ON A COMPUTER AND TALKING INTO A TAPE RECORDER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND I THINK THAT WE CAN FORECAST

Transcript Highlights:

• Where did the forecasters get it wrong, and where are we seeing that $32 million come from?
• Certainly, the forecast that the February 2025 conference was done with the best information available
• That conference adopted a new forecast for the current fiscal year and subsequent...
• That conference adopted a new forecast for the current fiscal year and subsequent. 22nd 2025.
• That conference adopted a new forecast for the current fiscal year, and subsequently, the agency is now

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 45:53.680> what<00:45:53.920> their their own forecasting for what their their own forecasting
• <00:53:09.040> So<00:53:09.520> which even anyone had forecast for.
• So which even anyone had forecast for.
• <00:53:12.240> So difficulty with the forecasting. So difficulty with the forecasting.
• forecast the world was very different. forecast the world was very different.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 State Health Insurance Plans 00:00:03 Executive Branch Salary Schedule Adjustments 00:29:15 Nutrition Program for the Elderly 00:34:52 Update on DORIS 01:05:38, 958, all

Summary: The committee met on November 5, 2025, and first approved the minutes after a moment of silence for the UPS airport tragedy. The main presentation was from the Personnel Cabinet on the state health insurance plans and executive branch salary schedule adjustments. Officials said the health plan covers roughly 265,000 active members and up to about 300,000 across all benefit offerings, including school board employees, retirees, and other eligible groups. They described rising claims and expenditures, especially from high-cost claimants and pharmacy spending, and said recent premium and benefit changes were intended to balance costs while preserving recruitment and retention efforts. They also explained that employee premiums had not increased for several years, while employer contributions rose sharply in recent years, and projected a 10% employer increase and 3% employee increase going forward based on actuarial analysis. Committee members asked about deductibles, GLP-1 drug costs, claims validation, and the causes of cost growth; officials said the plan uses multiple payment-integrity vendors and that the increases reflect utilization, drug trends, and high-cost cases rather than a change in coverage. The committee also discussed executive branch salary schedule adjustments. Personnel and budget officials explained that when the legislature approves annual pay increases, the salary schedule is adjusted by the same percentage through executive order so the minimum and midpoint stay aligned with approved compensation levels. They said the 2025 adjustment was a 3% match effective September 16 and that the change was costless because salaries had already been increased. Members raised concerns about salary compression, noting that new hires can sometimes be paid near the level of long-serving employees. Officials said the adjustment helps prevent compression from worsening but does not solve it, and they acknowledged prior RFP efforts to address the issue were unsuccessful because no qualified bidder met the requirements. After the health plan and salary discussions, the committee began a presentation from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on Kentucky’s senior meal program. Secretary Stack explained that the program is a federal-state-local partnership under the Older Americans Act, with area development districts helping deliver services. He outlined eligibility rules, noting that congregate meals at senior centers are available to people age 60 and older, with a spouse of any age allowed to join, and that home-delivered meals have additional homebound and assistance requirements. Members asked whether there was any means test for congregate meals, and the secretary said there is not; the only threshold is age for the center-based meals, while the home-delivered program has additional criteria.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other columns, for example columns D through I, are the forecasted amounts for 26 and 27 and for
• 00:04:30.639> the example columns D through I are the example columns D through I are the forecasted
• :04:33.000> 26<00:04:33.400> and<00:04:33.560> 27<00:04:34.400> and forecasted
• amounts um for 26 and 27 and forecasted amounts um for 26 and 27 and for<00:04:34.680> 28<00:
• Yes, we've got the forecast, but as Commissioner Peterson said, every day, every hour, every minute there's

Bills: HF1704

Keywords: Minnesota agriculture budget, Department of Agriculture appropriation, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, farm bill, rural development, agricultural grants, soil health, livestock compensation, crop damage, meat inspection, poultry inspection, county agricultural inspectors, biofertilizer, nitrogen management, commercial nitrogen fertilizer, water quality, farm down payment assistance, beginning farmers

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, previously that was a forecasted rate that was calculated annually.
• Uh, previously that was a forecasted rate that was calculated annually.
• Uh, previously that was a forecasted rate that was calculated annually.
• Uh, previously that was a forecasted rate that was calculated annually.
• > was<00:15:55.199> calculated forecasted rate that was calculated forecasted rate that

Bills: HF9

Keywords: energy policy, renewable energy standard, carbon-free standard, solar standard, hydroelectric, hydropower, electric utility, Public Utilities Commission, PUC, renewable portfolio standard, carbon capture and sequestration, CCS, greenhouse gas emissions, climate policy, nuclear power plant, certificate of need, fossil fuel plant demolition, utility compliance delay, beneficial electrification, sales tax exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• And we are in alignment with the budget forecast or the budget plan that we had for this committee.
• or the budget um plan that we forecast or the budget um plan that we had<00:04:45.600> for<00
• On the next page is the repealer of the advisory council on infrastructure and then the budget forecast
• This provides that when MMB does the budget forecasting, they do not assume that the legislature is going
• On the next page is the repealer of the advisory council on infrastructure and then the budget forecast

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You see the forecast base on line 2022, and our total spending is $30 million over that forecast base
• You see<00:09:41.440> the<00:09:41.680> forecast<00:09:42.160> base<00:09:42.480
• > on<00:09:42.720> line<00:09:43.399> 2022<00:09:44.399> and see the forecast
• base on line 2022 and see the forecast base on line 2022 and our<00:09:44.959> total<00:09:45.360
• <00:09:51.440> base is $30 million over that forecast base is $30 million over that forecast

Bills: HF2300

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's also important to keep in mind that just last Friday, the revenue forecast was downgraded.
• An $8 million reduction from what we expected based on the July forecast leaves us with $2.53 billion
• As a result of the July forecast, the agency had already begun making hard choices on new projects and
• <00:11:26.000> of<00:11:26.160> the<00:11:26.399> July<00:11:26.800> forecast
• ,<00:11:27.760> the As a result of the July forecast, the As a result of the July forecast

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• WHY DO YOU NEED THIS, WHAT'S YOUR JUSTIFICATION, WHAT DO YOU HAVE, ASKING THEM TO JUSTIFY THEIR FORECAST
• BECAUSE LOOKING AT THE FORECAST NUMBER TRYING TO PREDICT THE FUTURE YEAR WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IT'S
• SO WE HAVE AN ACCURATE REFLECTION ON A REAL-TIME BASIS WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE MARKET BECAUSE YOU FORECASTED
• THIS TELLS ME HERE'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO GOING FORWARD TO JUSTIFY YOUR FORECAST BUT HAVE YOU ACTUALLY
• IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE EVERYONE'S FORECASTING A MARKET SHIFT AND THAT IS WHAT IS CREATING THIS RISING

Transcript Highlights:

• Earlier in the biennium, we were below forecast.
• above forecast to date this biennium.
• That's what we're showing here is what the legislative forecast was.
• But since the OMB forecast has been updated as of April, I just wanted to show you here what OMB's forecast
• You can see the 2527 forecast at 354.5 for the Resources Trust Fund.

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met to receive interim status updates on several water-related studies and Department of Water Resources projects. The committee approved the March 26, 2026 minutes, observed a moment of silence for the late Representative Conmy, and then heard updates on the watershed management study and the stormwater/wastewater study. Staff reported that the committee had already received the testimony contemplated in the study plans, including input from state agencies, local governments, and out-of-state entities, and that any further action would be at the committee’s discretion. The Department of Water Resources then provided project and budget updates on NAWS and the Southwest Pipeline Project. Reese reported NAWS is expected to serve about 81,000 users, with a total projected cost of about $571 million and about $96 million remaining, while the Southwest Pipeline Project is estimated at $1.06 billion total with about $409 million remaining. Members asked about funding sources, capacity needs, and whether current and future construction is being designed for increased demand; department staff said current work is designed for ultimate capacity, but some future components may need redesign based on new requests. The committee also discussed local cost shares, Minot’s role in NAWS funding, and whether the system is adequate for peak demand. A major portion of the meeting focused on the department’s cash management, carryover, and long-term water funding outlook. The department said Resources Trust Fund revenues are tied to oil extraction taxes and are affected by stripper well exemptions and future oil price declines. Members expressed concern about large carryover balances and whether the state is obligating more money than can realistically be spent in a biennium. The department reported about $340.6 million in remaining carryover and said it is trying to reduce that through a two-tier pre-construction/construction process and closer project vetting. The department also summarized the Deloitte studies on regional governance and finance and on cost-share policy. Stakeholders generally favored keeping the current governance structures for NAWS and Southwest with improvements, while Red River stakeholders leaned toward a different option; the department said it will bring an implementation plan back in September. On cost share, Deloitte’s recommendations would reduce some percentages, prioritize projects differently, and use other measures to close a projected long-term funding gap. Members debated affordability, local burden, deferred maintenance, and whether statutory changes may be needed to allow the commission more flexibility in prioritizing and funding projects. No formal votes or final actions were taken beyond approving the minutes and receiving the updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, the United States Department of Energy is forecasting by the year 2028 that data centers could
• In 2023, that forecast was at 4%. Of the nation's total electricity usage.
• In 2023, that forecast was at 4%.
• I think we can all agree that back then, I don't think anybody could have forecasted the activity and

Bills: HB2989, HB3724, HB2992, HB3464, HB4246, HB3989

Keywords: high-demand facilities, electric utilities, public infrastructure, water management, taxpayer-funded subsidies, decommissioning plans, local control, citizen initiative, referendum, HB2992, Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act of 2026, Corporation Commission, Oklahoma utilities, ratepayer protection, data centers, artificial intelligence computing, AI data centers, cryptocurrency mining, large load customer, electric rates

Transcript Highlights:

• The cut is against a baseline forecast that CBO has.
• We'll have this baseline forecast specifically for physicians, and we'll need to reduce it if we're not
• There will be some red flags on when we're closing the forecast, but we're going right At CBO and the
• The committee has been doing long-term revenue and spending forecasting over the past couple of years
• We're focusing more of the spending forecasting on the midterm, and that has informed the committee's

Transcript Highlights:

• billion more than forecast at the 2024 budget act.
• Will be $118.9 billion, which is $3.6 billion more than forecast at the 2024 budget act. 23-24 remains
• The other source of forecasting uncertainty is the U.S. economy.
• So almost by design, deposits are very hard to forecast.
• However, they have gone back to what we have long forecasted to be more the norm.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• this committee works to continue to build the 2025-26 pre-K through 12 budget, we're relying on forecasts
• the potential number of scholarship students; two, forecasting the potential tax credit revenue; and
• three, how that interplays in forecasting how many scholarship students will likely need to be funded
• We follow the same as Step Up as far as the forecasting, our budgets, and... ...our budgets, and Kim
• So we do our forecasting down to how many we want to accept versus how many we can accept, vice versa

Summary: The Pre-K through 12 Budget Subcommittee met to continue reviewing how Family Empowerment Scholarship students are funded through the FEFP and the role of scholarship funding organizations. Staff gave a statutory overview of parent, SFO, and Department of Education responsibilities, including application deadlines, eligibility verification, quarterly payment timing, cross-checks to prevent duplicate funding, and the 99% district FEFP limitation for certain awards. The committee then heard demonstrations from Step Up for Students and AAA Scholarship Foundation showing their parent portals, application workflows, reimbursement systems, school enrollment/invoice processes, and marketplace tools for tuition, tutoring, and approved goods and services. Step Up reported major growth since HB 1, saying its scholarship population expanded from about 260,000 to more than 440,000 students, with application processing averaging about 10 days. It also highlighted faster tuition, provider, and reimbursement payments, multilingual support in English and Spanish, and resources such as videos and a call center. Members asked about support for Creole speakers, optional Florida ID numbers, student identifiers, marketplace pricing, tutor qualifications, background screening, and how awards differ from funded status. Step Up said it does not currently support Creole, does not do background screenings for tutors, sets no marketplace prices itself, and uses a unique internal student ID separate from the state ID. AAA demonstrated its revised software for the 2025-26 school year, including an eligibility screener, household and student application steps, messaging with staff, reimbursement requests, and administrative review and payment batching. AAA said the new system is custom-built, more transparent about award value versus available balance, and designed to better handle quarterly funding for UA students. Members questioned AAA and Step Up about student ID numbers, public-school cross-checks, fraud controls, school fee schedules, whether schools must participate, and reimbursement timing. Both organizations said they report quarterly to DOE, receive public-school cross-checks, and recover funds when students return to public school; AAA said its average reimbursement turnaround is about 14 business days, while Step Up said its reimbursement approvals have improved significantly. The committee also requested follow-up information, including one-pagers, data on income levels and demographics, and additional details on forecasting and system costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll get that to you as soon as we get the word from the governor's office after the forecast comes
• We'll get that to you as soon as we get the word from the governor's office after the forecast comes
• We'll get that to you as soon as we get the word from the governor's office after the forecast comes
• We'll get that to you as soon as we get the word from the governor's office after the forecast comes
• We'll get that to you as soon as we get the word from the governor's office after the forecast comes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In mid-December, the Consensus Forecast Group came back again and revised the current year road fund
• In mid-September, the Consensus Forecast Group (CFG) met and revised the current year road fund revenue
• In mid-December, the Consensus Forecast Group came back again and revised the current year road fund
• In mid-December, the Consensus Forecast Group came back again and revised the current year road fund
• In mid-December, the Consensus Forecast Group came back again and revised the current year road

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Transportation Committee met to review the Transportation Cabinet’s budget request and the recommended highway plan; no votes were taken. Secretary Jim Gray opened with praise for KYTC snow and ice crews, describing their response to recent winter storms and noting the scale of the effort, including about 2,300 workers, 1,438 pieces of equipment, and more than 948,000 miles driven in the first week. He then outlined the cabinet’s overall highway plan, saying it includes more than 1,300 projects and about $9.5 billion in anticipated state and federal funding over six years, with roughly 40% directed to existing pavements, bridges, and guardrails. He highlighted major priority projects such as the Mountain Parkway four-laning, the Brent Spence Companion Bridge, and the I-69 Ohio River crossing. Budget director Sean McCarron explained that the cabinet adjusted its request after the Consensus Forecast Group lowered road fund revenue estimates, and said the cabinet only included additional requests it viewed as essential. He described requests to support driver licensing regional offices, including funding to maintain temporary and contract staff used to reduce wait times, expand offices from 35 to 41 locations, and support improved customer service; he warned that without the current-year increase, wait times would rise again. He also discussed maintenance funding, saying the proposed increases would help cover rising costs for salt, snow and ice drivers, and mowing, while allowing continued litter pickup, vegetation management, pothole repair, and more in-house snow and ice work. Deputy Secretary Mike Hancock addressed specific capital questions, especially the Brent Spence Bridge and Cairo Bridge. For Brent Spence, he said the requested $125 million in general funds is needed because construction costs have risen sharply, citing a 61% increase in highway construction costs from 2020 to 2025, and said Kentucky and Ohio are both contributing to keep the project moving. He added that if the legislature does not provide the $125 million, KYTC would have to shift $100 million in federal highway funds and $25 million in state match from other projects. Hancock also reviewed several project reauthorizations for maintenance facilities and aviation projects, and noted a $5 million federally funded truck parking project aimed at addressing statewide truck parking shortages, especially along interstates and in areas such as Louisville, northern Kentucky, Frankfort, Somerset, and western Kentucky.